Is It Enough?
by CajunWitch
Summary: After the Wizarding War is over, Hermione feels trapped in a relationship with Ron. When a friend offers her a way out and a new start elsewhere, Hermione takes it. This works well for some time, but Hermione begins to realize she misses aspects of her old life. She returns to London and sparks fly with a certain Slytherin.
1. Chapter 1

**Is It Enough?**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.**

**Summary: After the Wizarding War is over, Hermione feels trapped in a relationship with Ron. When a friend offers her a way out and a new start elsewhere, Hermione takes it. This works well for some time, but Hermione begins to realize she misses aspects of her old life. She returns to London and sparks fly with a certain Slytherin. **

It was approaching midnight at The Burrow, the home of Ron Weasley and his family. Ron was perched on the end of his bed, not realizing he was holding his breath as he watched his bedroom door open slowly. He grinned when Hermione walked in, one finger over her lips as she struggled not to giggle. Ron stood up and pulled her to him, kissing her. He led her to his bed, where they sat beside each other.

"What took you so long," he asked as he caressed her cheek.

Hermione leaned into his touch. "I had to wait until I was sure everyone was asleep, but I'm here now," she whispered as she looked into his eyes.

"Yes, you are," Ron whispered back and kissed her again.

After making out for a few minutes, Hermione stood up so that she was in front of Ron. No words were spoken as he removed her nightgown and she helped him out of his pajamas. When their clothes were shed, they climbed onto his bed, lying beside each other, and looking into each other's eyes.

Hermione was excited; she and Ron had finally made the decision to have sex. It was her first time, but not Ron's. He and Lavender Brown had sex during their sixth year. Hermione was a bit upset when Ron had revealed this to her, but she managed to deal with it. It had been a few months since the Wizarding War had ended, and in that time she and Ron had taken their relationship to a whole new level. After years of arguing and flirting with each other, they were finally a couple.

Ron moved on top of her, and nudged her knees apart with his legs. Hermione stared at him, as she attempted to become used to Ron's bare skin making contact with hers. She would have preferred the room being dark, but there was a small lamp on a nightstand near Ron's bed, and it was on. She was afraid that the light from the lamp would show any imperfections on her body, but she began to feel more comfortable when Ron's eyes roamed over her, and his eyes darkened with lust.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered as he kissed her again. Hermione kissed him back and put her arms around his neck. He tentatively touched her breasts with his hands, then his lips, taking each of her small, pert nipples in his mouth. Hermione gasped softly; he had touched her breasts before during makeout sessions, but this was the first time she felt his mouth on them, and it was wonderful. After a few minutes of this, Ron looked up and smiled at her. He reached down between his legs, and she felt his erection rubbing against her. Hermione knew that it was time and she braced herself. She had spoken to Ginny, Ron's sister, about sex a few days before. Ginny and her boyfriend, Harry Potter, Hermione and Ron's best friend, had sex for the first time soon after the Wizarding War ended. Ginny told Hermione it was a bit uncomfortable at first, but once she was used to it, it was the most wonderful feeling in the world. Hermione couldn't wait to experience this with Ron.

Hermione bit her lip when she felt Ron's cock at her opening. She remembered to silently recite a contraceptive charm as she closed her eyes and held her breath as Ron pushed into her. Ginny was right that it was uncomfortable initially, but as Ron moved inside of her, Hermione liked the feeling of him inside of her, and began to move with him. She enjoyed the friction of his cock rubbing her inner walls, and pleasant sensations began to form. Hermione was about to wrap her legs around his waist so that he could plunge more deeply inside of her, when Ron stopped moving.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ron rasped as he caught his breath.

"I-I'm not sure, I just thought I'd move with you," Hermione replied softly and was taken aback by his sharp tone. She lowered her legs and removed her hands from his shoulders.

"I'd prefer if you didn't move. It's distracting and I can't concentrate. Just stay still," Ron said as he began to move again.

Hermione did as she was told and didn't move. She watched in silence as Ron's eyes squeezed shut, and his thrusts became quicker and clumsier as he approached his peak. After a few minutes of this, he let out a grunt, and Hermione felt his warm seed shoot into her. He collapsed onto her as he caught his breath. She didn't say anything, but something stirred inside of Hermione as she felt a sudden urge to push him off of her, and run out of the room. This was not at all how she imagined her first time to be.

To her relief, he moved off of her and stood up. Hermione looked at him as he grabbed his wand and did a cleaning charm. Ron gave her a small smile.

"That was amazing, love. Look, I know it was your first time and you weren't sure what to do. It'll be even better next time," he said softly.

Hermione only nodded, not trusting herself to answer him because she was tempted to tell him that this was not what she expected at all, but knowing his quick temper and the way he took offense, she knew this was best. She didn't want to get into an argument with him.

Ron walked over to the other side of the bed and climbed back in. Hermione turned toward him and smiled. Ron smiled back, and she waited for him to take her into his arms. This was a special night for them, or so she thought, because she couldn't believe what came next.

"Look, why don't you get cleaned up and get back to your room. It's late and I'm tired," he said and yawned.

For one of the few times in her young life, Hermione was at a loss for words. As she cast a cleaning charm, she found her panties and nightgown on the floor. She quickly put them back on and was about to kiss Ron goodnight, but he was fast asleep. Hermione shook her head and crept out of his room. She returned to the bedroom she shared with Ginny, and was relieved to see that Ginny wasn't there. Ron's sister usually spent almost the whole night with Harry, and snuck back into her bedroom at about 4 a.m. on most mornings.

Hermione looked at her watch and saw that it was only 12:30 a.m. She sighed as she got into bed and thought about what had just occurred. Was that how sex was supposed to be? Maybe she read too many steamy muggle romance novels and expected sex to be like it was for the characters in them? As this ran through her mind, Hermione decided she couldn't sleep. She left her bed and went over to the window seat near Ginny's bed. Hermione sat there, feeling very conflicted about what had happened between her and Ron.

Ginny tiptoed into the room at about 4:15 a.m. and gave a start when she saw Hermione was up.

"Hermione! You scared me! For a split second I thought it was mum waiting for me," she hissed and chuckled with her hand over her mouth, so she wouldn't make too much noise. She walked over to where Hermione was sitting. "Did you just wake up?" she asked.

Hermione shook her head. "I've been here for the most of the night. I couldn't sleep."

Ginny sat beside her. "Hey! How did it go with Ron? Wait, what am I doing? This is kind of weird, me asking about you and my brother. Don't answer!"

"It's okay, Gin. We've been talking so much about it. It was good with Ron," Hermione said quietly.

"Are you sure? You seem awfully quiet," Ginny replied as she stared at Hermione. After a few moments, she said, "I hope Ron didn't do something stupid."

"It's okay, Gin, really. I guess I'm just not sure if I should feel different or something," Hermione said. She gave Ginny a small smile. "You know how I overanalyze everything. I think I'm going to try to get a few hours of sleep."

"Yeah, I better do that too. I didn't get too much sleep with Harry, if you know what I mean," Ginny replied and waggled her eyebrows.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do know what you mean," Hermione chuckled and threw her pillow at her.

Ginny laughed and threw the pillow back. They settled into their beds and spoke for a few more minutes, and then Hermione noticed that Ginny had fallen asleep. Hermione turned over and faced the wall. She couldn't help feeling nothing but regret for having sex with Ron.

After that night, Ron had become more affectionate with her in front of his family, holding her close, and giving her small kisses on her cheek. Before they had sex, Hermione craved this type of attention from Ron, but now it was all she could do not to push him away from her. What was wrong with her? After the intimacy they shared, surely she shouldn't be feeling this way. Ron kept bugging her about when they were going to have sex again, but she told him that she was on her period. Ron was aghast when she told him this and remarked that a proper witch wouldn't speak of such things with her wizard. Hermione wondered what century exactly Ron thought they were living in. She envied the way Ginny and Harry looked so happy and seemed to genuinely enjoy being together.

It had been approximately a week since Hermione gave him her excuse, so Ron was getting antsy and couldn't wait anymore. They had just had lunch, so he asked Hermione to take a walk with him outside. When they were out of earshot from anyone at The Burrow, he began to speak.

"Um, Hermione? Is that thing you told me about finished? I can't wait for us to be together again," he asked as he kissed her softly on the cheek.

"Yes, Ronald, my period is over. Is that what you meant by 'that thing?' My menstrual cycle, Aunt Flo and Cousin Red's visit is over, I am no longer riding the crimson wave or on the rag, is that what you meant?" Hermione asked with a wide-eyed innocent look, secretly enjoying how uncomfortable she was making Ron.

Ron stopped and looked at her, his face turning various shades of pink and red. "Really, Hermione? You don't have to be so vulgar about your womanly things! You knew what I meant. What has gotten into you? A proper witch doesn't talk that way!"

Hermione knew it was immature, but she couldn't help herself as she rolled her eyes and snorted.

Ron chose to ignore this and sighed. "Look, Harry and I just found out that we'll be leaving for Auror training the day after tomorrow. I'd really like for us to be together the next two days. I don't know when we'll see each other again, especially since you and Gin are returning to Hogwarts next week," Ron said softly as he took her into his arms.

At that moment, Hermione felt a bit guilty for the conflicted feelings she had been having about her and Ron. It hit her that for the first time in years, she was going to be separated from her two best friends. Hermione also was given the option of becoming an Auror, but she decided to go back to Hogwarts to complete the year she had missed.

"I didn't realize it was so soon. I'm sorry if I've been out of sorts this last week, Ron. I don't know, so much is changing I suppose," Hermione replied and rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's okay, love. I understand, but I can't get the last time we were together out of my head. That was fantastic and I can't wait to do it again. You'll come to my room?" Ron asked excitedly.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. I'll see you after midnight," she replied as Ron kissed her. She kissed him back, but couldn't help having a sinking feeling in her heart.

That night, Hermione went to Ron's room. She held out some hope that maybe it would be a different experience, but it was the same thing. Ron on top, while she managed not to move. Instead, she watched as his facial expressions changed as he approached orgasm. She bit her lip trying not to laugh when his face scrunched up and it appeared as if he was in extreme pain when he came. It was such a relief when it was over and she could get back to her bed. Hermione thanked Merlin that Ron was satisfied with having sex only once a night. Ginny told her that she and Harry sometimes did it 3-4 times! When Hermione thought about having to do it more than once with Ron, she cringed. Was it normal to feel this way? She was beginning to wonder if perhaps there was something wrong with her.

Thankfully, those two days went by quickly. Hermione, Ginny, and the rest of the Weasley family accompanied Harry and Ron to Diagon Alley. They waited with the two young men until it was time for them to report for duty at The Ministry. Before they left, Ron hugged Hermione closely and kissed her. He promised to write and told her he would be counting the days until they could see each other again. Hermione hugged him back. She was going to miss her friends. That was when it hit her. Did she see Ron as a friend, and not a lover? Hermione considered this when she watched Ginny tell Harry goodbye. Ginny had tears in her eyes and Harry looked as if he was torn about leaving. They clung to each other until it was time for them to go. When they left, Ginny broke down and Hermione comforted her, softly reassuring her that Harry would be back soon. She felt a twinge of guilt because she wasn't nearly as distraught about Ron leaving, but just decided that she wasn't one to wear her emotions on her sleeve like Ginny.

When they finally left Diagon Alley, Hermione didn't return to The Burrow with the Weasley's. She returned to her parents' home so she could spend time with them before leaving for Hogwarts. Before the war, Hermione had performed an Obliviate charm on her parents to erase their memories. It was for their own protection in case the Deatheaters would have decided to go after them to try to get to Hermione. When the war ended, a reversal was done and their memories were restored. Hermione had plenty of explaining to do and tensions were high, but her parents gradually accepted that it was for the best.

The following week went by quickly. Hermione and her parents enjoyed the time they spent together. During that time, they went to Diagon Alley and Hermione bought her supplies for her last year at Diagon Alley. This was an exciting, yet bittersweet experience for her because it hit her that this was the last time she'd be doing this. She had a wonderful day with her parents as they had lunch and discussed her last year of school. Always a conscientious student, Hermione had kept up with her muggle studies as well as the ones at Hogwarts. She had applied to a few muggle universities in London and was accepted, as well as a prestigious wizard university in Edinburgh, Scotland. She was undecided as to which school she wanted to attend, and knew that she was going to have to make a decision soon. These establishments had long waiting lists for admission and would not hold a place for her no matter how exceptional of a student she was.

The day finally arrived for Hermione to leave for Hogwarts, and again she felt sentimental when she boarded the train and waved to her parents. It hit her that this was the last time she would be doing this. She watched as her parents chatted with Arthur and Molly Weasley, and the Hogwarts Express pulled away from the station.

She found an empty compartment and it wasn't long before Ginny joined her. The two young women discussed their expectations for the school year, and their boyfriends, of course. Ginny showed Hermione the letters she had received from Harry, and went on about how much she missed him, etc. As Hermione listened to her, she thought about how she had only received one hastily scribbled note from Ron, stating that he and Harry had made it, and that he'd write more when he had time. Should she be worried because she didn't receive as many letters as Ginny? Hermione mentally shrugged and justified this as Ron being Ron.

When they finally arrived at Hogwarts, Hermione was glad. As much as she loved her friend, she was sick of hearing about how much Ginny missed Harry, and how was she going to cope not being with him, yadda, yadda. Thankfully, Ginny met up with friends from her year and started to chat with them. Hermione walked with them to the carriages and was glad to be alone in her thoughts.

As they made their way towards the castle, Hermione was pleased to see that it had been restored to its former glory. Hogwarts had suffered extensive damage during the war, but the school now looked better than ever. She smiled as she walked into the Great Hall and saw some familiar faces from different years. Like Harry and Ron, quite a few of their classmates opted out of finishing their final year with a few exceptions. Hermione was glad to see that Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and Dean Thomas were back.

After the Sorting Hat Ceremony was performed on the First Years, the students enjoyed a spectacular feast before heading to their respective dormitories. Hermione was walking out with the rest of the Gryffindors, when the new headmistress, Professor McGonagall called out to her.

"Ms. Granger, a moment please."

"Yes, Headmistress?" Hermione asked and wondered what this was about. She hoped it wasn't going to be a lecture about her choosing not to accept being Head Girl. About two months earlier, Hermione had received the notification that she had been chosen, but she turned it down. After all that had happened in the last year, she just wanted her last school year to be stress-free. Hermione didn't even want to be a Prefect. She was so relieved when she saw that a Ravenclaw was the Head Girl, and a Hufflepuff was chosen as Head Boy.

"Follow me to my office, I have an assignment waiting for you," the headmistress replied.

Hermione nodded and followed her. When they reached her office, Professor McGonagall recited a password and they walked in. Hermione followed the older woman as they ascended the spiral staircase to her office. When they arrived, Hermione noticed that there was a young woman who looked to be her age. She was sitting in one of the chairs facing McGonagall's desk, and there was an older man seated beside her. The man stood and greeted Hermione and the headmistress.

"Is this the young lady you were telling us about?" the man asked Professor McGonagall.

She nodded. "Yes. Mr. Grayson Pierce, this is Hermione Granger. Hermione, Mr. Pierce and his daughter, Angela, are from Austin, Texas. Mr. Pierce is with our American Ministry of Magic, but he has been transferred to our Ministry for a temporary assignment. Angela will be completing her Seventh Year with us and she has been sorted into Gryffindor. I thought it would be perfect for you to show her around."

Hermione smiled and extended her hand to Mr. Pierce, and then to Angela. "It's really nice to meet you both." Mr. Pierce was a tall man in his mid-forties, about 6'2, with a slim build. He had black hair that was turning gray on the sides, friendly brown eyes, and a nice smile. Angela, like Hermione, was 18 years old. She was almost as tall as her father and was also slim. Her hair was dark brown, and she had the same friendly brown eyes and smile as her father.

They smiled back at her, and after a few more minutes of conversation, the young women left the headmistress's office. When they arrived in the hall outside of the office, Angela let out a deep breath.

"Whoa. This has been such a trip! I never thought I'd get out of there. Look, I'm sorry you're stuck with having to show the 'new girl' around. I'm sure I can figure out how to find the dorm on my own," Angela said.

"Don't worry about it, I'm glad to do it. It's good to see a new face. I know what you mean about being glad to get out of McGonagall's office. She can be a bit intimidating," Hermione stated and chuckled.

"Indeed she is! By the way, no one calls me Angela except my father when he's mad at me. I'm Angie," she said and stuck out her hand.

Hermione laughed and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Angie. I'm just plain old Hermione."

"Hmm, something tells me there's nothing plain about you Hermione. I think you and I are going to be friends," Angie said and smiled.

For a few moments, Hermione pondered this statement and decided that she liked Angie Pierce. "I think we're going to be friends too." In her years at Hogwarts, Hermione hadn't been too friendly with many girls. When she thought about it, Ginny was her only female friend. Maybe it would be good to have a friend outside of her circle.

As the next month went by, Hermione diligently wrote to Ron every day, but only received a few letters from him. He told her about how difficult the training was, but the food was great. He always ended every letter the same way: telling her about how he couldn't wait for them to be _really together_ again. Hermione knew exactly what he meant. Maybe Ron couldn't wait, but she certainly could.

In that time, Angie fit right in with the rest of the Gryffindors. Sometimes she chatted with Hermione, but she was getting lots of attention from the guys and quite a few of the girls were curious about the American witch, so she was always part of a crowd. Hermione was content to stay in the background. She spent most of her time at the library and took her meals with Ginny and their friends.

It was the first Saturday in October, and it was a Hogsmeade weekend. Hermione was eager to go and had woke up early that morning. She loved when autumn was starting, and the air was beginning to feel cool and crisp. Dressed in a pink-print lightweight jumper, jeans, and brown leather boots, she was all set. Hermione stepped out into the Common Room and waited for Ginny. After about 10 minutes, she noticed other students leave the area, but there was no sign of Ginny. Hermione went to her dorm and knocked. A girl named Prudence answered the door and looked irritated.

"Merlin, it is Saturday morning! I can't ever sleep late. What do you want?" she asked in a whiny tone.

"I'm really sorry to have disrupted your sleep, Prudence. I'm looking for Ginny," Hermione replied.

"She left over an hour ago with a bunch of other giggly girls. They interrupted me too. Is that all you needed? I really want to get back to sleep," Prudence said and yawned.

"Sure and thanks," Hermione replied as Prudence closed the door. This was strange. Ginny hadn't mentioned anything about leaving earlier, but then again, Hermione had been in the library the evening before and hadn't spoken to Ginny. She just assumed that they would go into Hogsmeade together. It wasn't that big of a deal, but Hermione felt a little hurt that Ginny hadn't mentioned anything to her earlier.

Hermione shrugged this off and decided that she better get a move on before the carriages were gone. She was leaving the Common Room when she heard someone call her name.

"Hermione! I'm glad you're still here. Are you going to Hogsmeade?" Angie asked.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. I'm headed to the carriages now."

"Cool! Do you mind if I tag along with you?" Angie asked.

"Not at all," Hermione replied. They made their way to the front entrance and were able to catch one of the last carriages. As the carriage made its way to Hogsmeade, she and Angie fell into an easy conversation that lasted all the way to their destination. Once there, Hermione thought that Angie was going to leave to meet other friends, but she walked out with Hermione. Their first stop was the bookstore, Honeydukes for sugar quills, and then The Three Broomsticks for lunch.

Hermione couldn't believe how quickly the day had gone by and how much she enjoyed spending time with Angie. From that day on, she and Angie started to hang out all of the time. Hermione still was friends with Ginny, but the younger girl was spending more time with the girls from her year. They spoke occasionally, but the closeness they had shared over the summer slowly drifted away. As the weeks, then months went by, Hermione found a true friend in Angie.

It was the week before Christmas, and most of the students were preparing to go home for the holidays. Hermione was going home to be with her parents, but was planning to spend a few days at The Burrow since Ron and Harry were going to be there Christmas day and a few days afterwards. She also arranged to meet Angie in London. Hermione was really looking forward to all of this.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger picked Hermione up from King's Cross Station and they spent the rest of the day together doing last-minute Christmas shopping and had lunch. Hermione was so glad that her relationship with her parents was back to the way it was before the war. She had missed them so much.

Christmas Eve was a quiet event with her parents. They had a wonderful dinner and exchanged gifts afterwards. Hermione was touched when her parents gave her a gift certificate to the book store in Diagon Alley, Flourish and Botts. They had bought it a few months ago when they had accompanied her there to purchase her school supplies. Her parents loved her gift of tickets to their favorite musical, _Spamalot_.

Hermione was up early on Christmas morning so she could prepare to go to The Burrow. She packed a small bag since she was staying for a few days. Her father drove her to The Leaky Cauldron, and she flooed from there to get to The Burrow. When she arrived, she was greeted by Mrs. Weasley, who had just finished preparing breakfast. It wasn't long before the rest of the Weasley clan and Harry joined them.

She went over to Ron and gave him a hug. As she leaned in to kiss him on the mouth, he turned and she kissed his cheek. Ron gave her a small smile and a little squeeze before moving away from her.

"I'm glad you made it here. I'm starving! Let's eat," he said happily as he took a seat at the dining room table.

Hermione felt a little uneasy about how Ron reacted towards her, but put it off as maybe he really was hungry. He was always famished at Hogwarts. She smiled and took a seat beside him.

After breakfast was over, they went into the living room and exchanged gifts. Everyone received a knitted sweater from Mrs. Weasley. Hermione had given Harry and Ron leather holsters for their wands. The young men loved this and couldn't wait to see how they would look with their Auror uniforms. She gave Ginny a makeup set and a book of hairstyling charms. Ginny was pleased with this and was anxious to try the different hairstyles.

Hermione received another gift certificate from Flourish and Botts from Ginny and Harry, but she was pleased. One could never have too many books. She was so surprised when Ron handed her a small, beautifully wrapped box. Her heart began to beat a little faster when she figured that this was a piece of jewelry. Merlin help her, but she hoped that this wasn't what it looked like. Hermione truly had no idea how she was going to react if Ron had given her an engagement ring.

She opened the box and saw that it was indeed a ring, but it was what muggles referred to as a "promise" ring. The ring was made of silver with a crisscrossing ribbon of tiny red rubies passing through an open heart at the center. Hermione held her breath when Ron knelt before her.

"Hermione, I want this to be a symbol of our commitment to each other. I know it's not much and I want to get you a much better ring later on, but I really wanted to give you this. I want everyone to know that we're a couple," Ron said, his eyes shining.

"Ron, it's lovely. Thank you," Hermione said softly as she watched him slide it on the ring finger of her left hand. She held it up for everyone to see, and everyone oohed and ahhed over it.

Mrs. Weasley and Ginny hugged her at the same time and let her know how happy they were to have her as part of their family.

"Do you think you'll be married next summer? That would be amazing! We could have the wedding here," Ginny gushed.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other. "Slow down, Gin! We haven't even set a date yet," Hermione chuckled.

"No, we haven't, but I'm hoping to change that soon," Ron said and kissed her.

Hermione smiled at him and listened as the rest of the family spoke excitedly about what their possible future plans might be. One would think that this would be one of the happiest moments of her life, but for some reason Hermione felt overwhelmed by all of this. It just seemed way too soon. What scared her was that Ginny was serious when she asked if they were to be married the following year. Hermione could not see getting married right after finishing Hogwarts. She loved Ron, but her future plans did not include a wedding anytime soon. A long engagement would suit her just fine.

After everyone had settled down and gone to bed, Hermione snuck into Ron's room. As soon as she walked in, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

"You can't imagine how much I've missed you. I couldn't wait for this," Ron whispered in between kisses.

"I missed you too," Hermione whispered back. She watched as he removed his pajama top and bottoms. She pulled her nightgown over her head, and walked to his bed. Ron pulled off his underwear and got into his bed, staring lustily at Hermione as she removed her panties and stepped gingerly out of them. When she got into the bed, Ron moved on top of her.

They made out for a few minutes, and then Hermione felt Ron's cock at her entrance. Once again, she quickly recited a contraceptive spell. He pushed into her and began to make short, uneven thrusts. In an effort to get more comfortable, Hermione moved her hips up and met one of his thrusts. All of a sudden, Ron stopped moving.

"I thought I told you not to move!" he snapped.

"I'm sorry Ron, I was just trying to get comfortable," Hermione replied softly and was hurt by his tone. She felt tears forming, and one fell down her cheek, but Ron didn't notice.

"Just leave this to me and let me handle it. I know you aren't experienced," he sighed and began to thrust again.

A few minutes later, Ron's body shuddered and he had the same twisted expression on his face when he came. Hermione watched in silence and couldn't wait for him to finish. She was so glad when he rolled over to his side of the bed. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

"It'll take some time, but you're getting better at making love. Just think, when we're married, we'll be able to do this every night," Ron whispered happily.

Hermione gave him a half-hearted smile and slipped off of the bed to retrieve her nightgown and panties. She did a quick wordless cleaning spell as she pulled them on.

Ron did the same and put on his pajamas. He climbed back into his bed and yawned.

"This tired me out love. I'll see you in the morning," he said as he turned on his side and fell asleep.

Hermione left his room quickly and returned to the one she shared with Ginny. Once again, she couldn't sleep and went over to the window seat. She felt the tears coming on again, and it wasn't long before she was sobbing quietly. Maybe she wasn't that experienced in sex, but her gut instinct was telling her that it had to be better than what just happened with Ron.

Looking over the ring Ron gave her, Hermione thought again of how this should be one of the best moments of her life. But the more she gazed at the ring, the more she felt as if it was a noose around her neck.

Harry and Ron were there for two more days, and then they had to return for their training. Those past two days were the same routine for Hermione: breakfast, lunch, dinner, then wait a few hours to meet Ron in his room for sex.

A part of her felt shame for how relieved she was when Ron finally left, but Hermione didn't know how much of this she could take. She was coming to the realization that perhaps a future with Ron was not what she wanted. There was no one she could confide in here at The Burrow and she really wasn't comfortable discussing things of this nature with her mother. That left one person: Angie.

Hermione returned home after Ron left. She arrived to an empty house since her parents were at work. Putting away her belongings in their rightful place in her bedroom, Hermione checked her cellphone. She saw that there were a few text messages from Angie.

Angie's father was pureblood and her mother was a half-blood, the product of a witch and a muggle father. Like Hermione, Angie was an only child. Her mother had always exposed her to the muggle world, so Angie was familiar with muggle technology. Angie and Hermione had exchanged cellphone numbers before leaving Hogwarts for the holidays.

_First Text:_

_Can't wait to hear how ur reunion w/Ron was! Merry Christmas-A_

Second Text:

_Call me as soon as you get back-A_

Hermione smiled as she read the texts and sent a message:

_I'm home. Call me if ur up-H_

A few minutes later, Hermione's cellphone rang. She and Angie made plans to meet for lunch at a muggle café. After the call ended, Hermione noticed that it was 10:30 a.m. She decided to take a shower before leaving for lunch.

Hermione arrived at the café and looked around for a few minutes. She smiled when she saw Angie seated at a table and she waved Hermione over. When she arrived at the table, Angie stood up and hugged her. Hermione hugged her back and they took their seats.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in ages! Well, how was everything?" Angie asked happily.

"I know it's only been a week, but it feels like forever. Everything's good. Did you have a good Christmas?" Hermione asked.

Angie began to tell how she had a wonderful day with her parents. She was interrupted when their waitress came to the table and took their orders. When she was done, Angie turned to Hermione.

"Don't keep me in suspense. I want to know all about what happened with Ron. I bet you couldn't keep your hands off each other," Angie said and giggled.

"Something like that," Hermione said with a small smile and took a drink of water. That was when Angie noticed the ring. She grabbed Hermione's hand and gasped.

"Whoa! Is that a promise ring? It's so pretty," Angie gushed.

Hermione nodded. "My Christmas gift from Ron. I guess I'm now promised to be engaged to him," she said with a half-hearted chuckle.

Angie picked up on this. "Hermione, is something wrong?"

Shaking her head, Hermione replied, "No, it's fine," but a few tears coursed down her cheeks. She quickly brushed them away and tried to smile at Angie.

Her friend stared at her for a few minutes, then stood up. "Wait here," she said. Hermione watched as Angie walked over to their waitress and spoke to her. She returned to the table and sat down.

"I asked our waitress to serve our order to go. It'll be ready soon. Look, we'll take our food and head over to my house so we can talk," she said softly and patted Hermione's hand.

Hermione only nodded, not trusting herself to speak. As soon as their order was ready, the young women left the café and went to Angie's house. Angie's father was at work and her mother was out running errands, so they had the house to themselves. They went into the kitchen, where Angie set their food out on a small table. She and Hermione sat down.

"Whenever you're ready, I'm here to listen. If you don't want to talk, that's fine too," Angie said reassuringly.

Hermione took a deep breath. "Oh Angie, I'm so confused. I've always had a thing for Ron and when we finally got together, I was ecstatic. But now that we're getting serious, I feel trapped!"

Angie nodded. "How long have you been feeling like this? Did something trigger this?" she asked.

"You know, I started to feel like this when we began to have sex over the summer," Hermione said and frowned.

"I don't want to get too personal, but was Ron your first?" Angie asked.

Nodding, Hermione replied, "Yes. I was so excited to be with him, but Angie, it wasn't what I expected. Maybe my expectations were too high, I don't know," she said and sighed.

Angie's forehead creased as she thought about this. "How's sex with him? Are you, hmm, how can I put this? Are you fulfilled? Does he please you?" she asked.

"I'm not sure what you mean. We always do it the same way. He's on top and I make sure not to move so I don't mess up his concentration," Hermione replied.

Angie stared at her with her mouth open for a few seconds, and then she began to speak. "What? Are you telling me you have to lie beneath him and not move? Are you a live woman or a damn corpse? Man, Hermione. I can see why you're so upset. That just isn't normal! Have you talked to anyone about this?"

Shaking her head, Hermione said, "No. You're the first person I've told. There's really no one to talk to me. I've been thinking maybe there's something wrong with me. I just thought that since Ron's a pureblood wizard that perhaps that is how they have sexual relations."

"No, that has nothing to do with it, Hermione. I'm not the most sexually experienced person, but I have had two boyfriends. My first, Brody, was a pureblood wizard and I can assure you, sex with him was not at all what you experienced with Ron. Brody also taught me about oral sex, and was he ever good at it, let me tell you!" Angie laughed.

Hermione blushed at this. "It's a relief to know that I wasn't wrong when I thought that sex with Ron wasn't what it should be! Oral sex? I don't see that happening. Whenever I try to move during sex, he stops in the middle of it and scolds me!"

"Hermione, I'll just tell it to you straight. I've never met the guy, but from what you're telling me, Ron's a lousy lay. That's all there is to it. What are you going to do?" Angie asked.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. Angie, I don't think I can go through this with Ron. It doesn't feel right. It's just that I keep thinking about how much I'll hurt him and his family. They were so happy when we finally got together," Hermione replied and had a sad expression.

Angie took a deep breath. "You and Ron need to have a heart-to-heart talk. If you're feeling this way, break up with him now Hermione. I know you don't want to hurt anyone, but you've got to think of your feelings too. You're miserable. The longer you put it off, the more difficult it'll be. I might be out of line for saying this, but from what you're telling me, you would never be happy married to him."

"You're right, Angie, "Hermione said as she removed the ring and placed it on the table. As she did this, she realized that she didn't feel as trapped. It was going to be one of the hardest things she'd have to do, but she was going to end it with Ron.

**This one was stuck in my head and I needed to get it out! It starts off as a Ronione, but this is definitely a Dramione. Draco will come later. Thank you for reading! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Is It Enough?**

**Chapter Two**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.**

The two young women finished their lunch and talked more about Hermione's situation.

Hermione smiled at her friend and took a deep breath. "I'm sure I'm going to be a nervous wreck in the next few weeks until I figure out how I'm going to break it off with Ron, but you can't imagine how much better I feel after talking to you."

"I can see that you definitely don't look as miserable as you were about an hour ago. Anytime you need to talk, I'm here," Angie replied and meant it.

"I appreciate that Angie. You're the only person I've confided in," Hermione said.

"Do you have any idea on how you're going to do it? A word of advice─ do it in person, don't send him a letter. That's the worst and I see it as a copout," Angie stated.

"No, no, I have no intention of breaking up with him in a letter! I can't imagine how devastating that would be especially since he and Harry are training to be Aurors. A letter like that would throw off everything. I'd never do something that callous. I'll have to wait when he's on leave again and who knows when that'll be," Hermione said and sighed.

Angie nodded. "Good. I know this is going to be tough, but you can't go on like this. Hermione, you have every right to be happy and be with someone who'll treat you like you deserve to be treated."

"Thanks for listening to my drama. It's all a bit overwhelming, but you've given me some good advice," Hermione replied and looked at her watch. Sighing again, she said, "As much as I'm enjoying our visit, I need to get home. My parents are probably back from work and we're supposed to go out to dinner."

"I enjoyed our lunch and the drama," Angie replied and laughed. "I'll call or text you before we have to go back to school. Hey! How about we do something for New Year's Eve? Even if we just hang out here or at your house, we could ring in the New Year," she said, eyes sparkling.

"That sounds like fun," Hermione said.

"Done deal, I'll let you know what I come up with," Angie said as they stood from the table. She walked Hermione to the front door. Hermione waved to her friend and started back towards her home. As she was walking away, she heard Angie call out to her.

"Hey Hermione, you forgot something," Angie said with a mischievous grin.

Hermione turned and walked back. Angie handed her the ring that she had left on the table. "I think this is yours. I know I don't want it!"

"Merlin, how could I forget this," Hermione said as she took the ring from Angie and slid it back on her finger. She shook her head and looked at the ring before slipping it off her finger and placing it in the front pocket of her jeans. "It really is pretty, but not for me. It sucks that I'm going to have to wear it at school. Ginny's probably going to be blabbing about it to everyone. Angie, I hope I can get through this."

"You're stronger than you think, Hermione. Besides, you have me on your side," Angie replied with a reassuring smile.

Hermione smiled back at her and she suddenly felt empowered. Angie was right; she was strong and would figure this all out.

When Hermione returned home, she greeted her parents, and went up to her room to get ready for dinner. Once she was in her room, she took the ring out of her pocket. She walked over towards the back of the door of her bedroom, and pulled down a backpack that was hanging on a rack. Hermione had brought it back from Hogwarts and it contained extra books. She placed the ring in a zippered compartment on the front of the backpack. She was going to have to remind herself to put the ring back on once she returned to Hogwarts.

At one point in her life, when she was younger and daydreamed about a future with Ron, one of her fantasies was getting engaged and showing off her sparkly ring to her parents. Now that this fantasy was turning into a reality, it had become something she did not want to share with them. They knew she and Ron were seeing each other, but had no idea as to how serious their relationship had become. She just didn't want to tell them about the significance of the ring Ron had given her, only to have to tell them later that she and Ron were no longer a couple.

Mr. and Mrs. Granger had no qualms about Hermione dating Ron, and they liked him, but they would not approve of Hermione becoming engaged and getting married at a young age. They expected her to attend a university of her choice, and make something of herself before making a commitment. She sensed that although her parents thought Ron was nice enough, they didn't see anything long-term between them. It wasn't that they didn't approve of him, it's just that they felt that he and Hermione weren't that compatible, especially in the intellectual range. However, if after she finished her schooling and decided to marry Ron, they would stand by her decision.

Hermione changed into a suitable pair of black slacks and a light blue long-sleeved blouse to attend dinner with her parents. Slipping her feet into a pair of black flats, she took one last look in the mirror and stuck her tongue out at her reflection. She was in good spirits, especially after confiding in Angie. Hermione was determined to not dwell on how she was going to handle breaking up with Ron, and just have a nice time with her parents.

Dinner with her parents was pretty uneventful. They talked about Hermione's school and spoke more about her plans after Hogwarts. She knew she was going to have to make a decision soon, but she was still on the fence as to which university she was going to attend.

The next few days went by quickly. Hermione saw Angie every day. Sometimes they went shopping, to the movies, or just hung out at each other's homes. They discussed what they planned on doing once they finished at Hogwarts. Angie had been accepted at the muggle school, University of Texas at Austin, and was planning on a degree in journalism. Her dream was to become a foreign correspondent for one of the major muggle television networks.

During and after the war, Hermione had been doing lots of soul-searching, and had come to the decision that she wanted to become an emergency room doctor. This would require that she attend a muggle university. She had also looked into becoming a Healer, and if she attended school in London, she could be enrolled in premed at the muggle university, and take Healer courses through the wizard program at the same time. This seemed like a solid plan, but after what was happening with Ron, Hermione began to rethink this and wondered if perhaps she should attend school in another city, or maybe another country.

They were at Angie's house and as she listened to Angie describe the University of Texas's campus in Austin, and looked over the academic bulletin, Hermione took a chance and applied to the school. This totally took her out of her comfort zone, but maybe this was a good thing. She had visited the States a few times with her parents in the last few years, but they had only gone to New York and Chicago, Illinois. She'd never been to the state of Texas.

Angie was beside herself with excitement when Hermione applied to the school. After Hermione sent off the admission application, Angie marked the date on the calendar.

"This is so great! You're going to love Austin. We can probably stay in the same dorm, or maybe get an apartment. I'm so excited," Angie gushed as she pulled Hermione into a hug.

Hermione laughed as she hugged her friend back.

"I don't even know if they'll accept me. Besides, I still have to discuss this with my parents. I don't think they'll be too thrilled that I want to attend a school that's so far away."

"I doubt you have anything to worry about, Hermione. They'd be nuts not to accept a student like you. As for your parents, they might surprise you with their reaction," Angie replied.

Taking a deep breath and releasing it, Hermione smiled at her friend. "I don't think I've ever done something this spontaneous, well yeah in the wizarding world with Harry and Ron, but never in the muggle one. Even if I don't get in, this was great fun," she said.

"You'll get in! I believe in fate, Hermione. We're meant to be friends beyond Hogwarts," Angie said smugly.

"Glad you're so confident, but I do agree about us being friends. I've never met anyone like you. I've always thought of Ginny as my best friend, but when I think about it, I really don't have much in common with her. We have very different goals in life," Hermione said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Angie asked. "Doesn't she want to continue her schooling after Hogwarts?"

Hermione shook her head. "Ginny has mentioned playing quidditch professionally after Hogwarts and making a career of that, but I think her main objective is to marry Harry and settle down. She has modern views on some things, but she's pretty old-fashioned when it comes to family and marriage. Like Ron," she said and grimaced.

Angie snorted. "Huh. Not too old-fashioned if you ask me. They supposedly have all these values, but they're fucking like rabbits before getting married. I might be a lot of things but I'm not a hypocrite," she said and laughed.

"That's true. I just love how you say it like it is, Angie," Hermione said as she laughed too.

"Kind of abrupt change of subject, but remember we had talked about doing something on New Year's Eve?" Angie asked as she looked through a stack of papers that were sitting on a desk. She found the flyer she was looking for and handed it to Hermione.

"Sure, you had said we could go out or just do something here. What's this?" Hermione asked as she read over the flyer. "Oh. This is a muggle club and there's a DJ. That looks like fun."

"So, can I take that as a yes?" Angie asked, eyebrows raised.

Hermione nodded. "I think I'm ready to do something different. What're we going to wear?"

"Awesome! Come on, let's raid my closet and then we'll take a look at yours," Angie gleefully responded. "This is so exciting because I've never had a chance to hit the clubs here before. You'll have to be my guide."

"Uh, Angie? There's something you should know," Hermione said hesitantly.

"What is it?"

"This will be my first time going to a club in London too," Hermione admitted.

"Hermione, Hermione. Honey, you need to get out more. Stick with me and we'll hit every club before I leave London," Angie said with a huge grin.

Hermione shot her friend a nervous smile because something told her that Angie wasn't joking.

New Year's Eve arrived quickly. Hermione went over to Angie's house and they got ready for the evening. Mrs. Pierce helped them with their clothes and makeup. Hermione got to know Angie's mother really well in the last week or so. Mrs. Pierce was in her 40's but could pass for being in her early 30's. She was a tall, slim brunette like Angie and Mrs. Pierce had the same zest for life as her daughter. Hermione felt very comfortable with her.

Hermione couldn't believe the reflection staring back at her when she looked in the mirror. Mrs. Pierce had done a few subtle tricks with the makeup, making Hermione's eyes stand out, and her lips were a pretty coral color. She was wearing a black jacquard mini-dress with cap sleeves, and black heels. Angie was dressed similarly, but her dress was blue. Angie slapped her hands away when Hermione tried pulling down the hem on her dress.

"Stop it! You look great and it isn't too short," Angie said.

"Angie's right, Hermione. You really look terrific, the dress is really becoming," Mrs. Pierce said and smiled. "You both look amazing! I'll leave you girls to get on with your evening. I have to get ready for my date," she chuckled as she left Angie's bedroom.

Angie turned to Hermione. "My parents are going to the Ministry's New Year's Eve ball. I meant to ask, but didn't Ron mention anything about it? I understood that all employees of the Ministry were invited."

Hermione shrugged. "I received one letter from him, well, you can say it was a note. I've made shopping lists with more meaning," she said while Angie laughed. "Anyway, he never mentioned anything. I'm sure Ginny would've let me know if Harry told her about it."

Angie nodded. "Hmm. Well, my dad asked if we could put in a quick appearance before we go to the club. He wants to introduce my mother and me, and you too!"

"Are we dressed appropriately? I mean, everyone will probably be in dress robes," Hermione said as she looked down at her short dress.

"Mom is wearing a muggle gown and the men had a choice of dress robes or a tuxedo. Dad already had a tux, so he's wearing it, so I don't think we'll be out of place," Angie replied.

"I guess we're going to the Ministry, then," Hermione said as Angie grabbed her hand and they left her bedroom.

The young women waited for Angie's parents and they went the Ministry ball together. When they arrived, Angie turned toward Hermione.

"We'll try to do this as quickly as possible. These functions are usually so stuffy and boring," Angie whispered.

Hermione gave her friend a small smile as they walked in behind Angie's parents. It wasn't long before they met the Minister and other officials that Angie's father dealt with on a daily basis. Angie and Hermione were about to make their escape when Mrs. Pierce stopped them.

"Angie, why don't you and Hermione stay for at least one dance? It would mean the world to your father," she said softly.

"Fine. Come on Hermione, let's go stand on the sidelines and make ourselves available. We'll probably have to suffer through one dance with some old geezer and then we can go," Angie said jokingly.

"My little drama queen. You might be surprised and actually have fun," Mrs. Pierce laughed.

"Highly doubt it, but the night's still young," Angie said under her breath and waved to her parents, giving them a cheesy grin, as she and Hermione found a free space that looked out over the dance floor.

Hermione stood with Angie and chatted as they looked around the ballroom. There were many Ministry employees in attendance. Hermione recognized a few familiar faces and waved. As she scanned the room, her eyes caught a flash of a gentleman with red hair. She tried to look more closely, but the man was across the vast room. She touched Angie's arm.

"I could swear that was Ron," she said as she pointed towards the other side of the room.

"Let's go scope it out," Angie said.

When they got closer, Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. There, sitting at a table next to a witch she had never seen before, was Ron. He was saying something and laughing, and his arm was casually draped on the back of the chair of the witch. Hermione stood there for a few moments and shook her head. She turned to see who he was talking to and saw that it was Harry and Ginny.

Angie touched her arm. "Hermione, what the hell?" she asked, but as she watched the scene unfold before her, she realized that this had to be Ron when she saw Ginny at the table. "Shit! What do you want to do? Look, we can leave if you want," she said because although there might've been a rational explanation for why they were there, Hermione looked pissed and Angie didn't want her to do something she'd regret later. On the other hand, if she was in Hermione's position, she'd definitely would have confronted the bastard.

Shaking her head, she looked at Angie. "I can't believe this. That git is here and he never told me about it. Come on, let's go to the ladies room before they see us. I need to think about this," Hermione said as she turned away.

Angie followed her as they made their way through throngs of people to get to the restroom. When they found it, she and Hermione went in. There were a few women about, but then they left. The restroom had a sitting area, so the young women took a seat on one of the couches that was set up in it.

Hermione sat down with a huff. "I can't believe Ron much less Ginny didn't let me know anything. I wonder who the witch is sitting with them," she said and looked at Angie.

Angie shook her head. "I don't know what's going on. Are you upset that Ron is with another girl?"

Hermione waited a few moments before replying, and then shook her head. "Not upset, but I'm going to feel really stupid and used if he's been seeing someone else all this time. I just don't get why he'd give me a ring and spout all this crap about being in love with me if this is what is going on. I think I'm going to be more disappointed if Harry knew about this and didn't bother to let me know anything."

"What about Ginny? She's supposed to be your friend," Angie replied.

"Ever since we started the new school year, Ginny's been distant. I chalked it up to her wanting to be with her school friends, but we aren't almost as close as we were over the summer. I was a bit hurt by it, but then you came along," Hermione said and smiled.

Angie smiled back and took Hermione's hands. "Well, what do you say we go back out there and find out what this is all about? The way I see it, this is the perfect opportunity to break up with him," she said with a smug smile.

Hermione's face lit up. "You're right. Let's go."

When Hermione and Angie approached the table, Ron's mouth almost dropped to the floor. He quickly removed his arm where it was draped over the back of the unknown witch's chair. Giving Hermione a crooked smile, he stood up.

"Hermione! What a surprise! I thought you weren't coming. Ginny said you never answered her owl," he said quickly.

Raising her eyebrows, Hermione looked from Ron to Ginny. "I don't know what you're talking about. I never received an owl from Ginny."

Ginny looked like she wanted to crawl under the table and disappear. "Maybe I never got a chance to send an owl to Hermione and I told a little white lie. I just thought about it earlier this evening, but I knew it was too late. Sorry," she said sheepishly and blushed.

"How could you forget to contact Hermione? You know how busy Ron and I are with our training. This has just been a huge mix-up. It's great to see you, Hermione. Is this your friend Angie? We've heard a lot about her," Harry said and stood up to greet them.

Angie folded her arms and said, "Really? And what exactly have you heard?"

Harry chuckled and put his hands up in a playful manner. "No need to get on the defensive. Ginny here has told us how much you and Hermione have been hanging out together at Hogwarts. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Yeah, Hermione and I have become close these past few months since a certain person who is supposed to be her best friend ditched her," Angie replied and looked pointedly at Ginny.

Hermione put a hand on Angie's arm and shook her head. "It's fine, Angie. I understand that Ginny wants to be with her friends in her year. We just aren't as close as we were over the summer."

"I'm really sorry, Hermione. I've made a mess of things tonight," Ginny said sadly.

Hermione shrugged and said, "No worries, Ginny. Maybe it was meant to work out this way."

Ginny gave her a puzzled look and then turned to Ron. He also looked confused, but walked over to Hermione and whispered in her ear.

"Well, now that you're here, how about we dance? Then, maybe we can leave a little early and head back to the Burrow," he said and stood back, looking at her with a smug expression.

Hermione smirked. "That's fine and dandy, Ronald, but what about your date?" she asked and gestured toward the witch who was being ignored.

The young woman was staring at Ron in disbelief. Her name was Kristen Whittle and she worked as a secretary at The Ministry. She stood up and shook her head. "Don't worry about me, I'm out of here. He's all yours," she said to Hermione before she stormed off.

Shaking her head, Hermione looked at Ron with a wry smile. "Wow. I'm just at a loss for words on this one. How long have you been seeing her?" she asked.

Ron, who had been staring at Kristen has she exited the room, turned to Hermione. "About two months," he started to say, but then caught himself.

Angie looked at Ron in amazement. "You've got to be one of the dumbest people I've ever met or just a complete asshole. What a douche bag! Come on Hermione, let's get out of here."

"Wait a second, Angie. I need to do something first," Hermione said with a mischievous look. Silently conjuring Ron's ring from her bedroom, she smiled when she felt it in her hand. "I think this belongs to you," she said and handed it to Ron.

Ron looked at her outstretched hand and saw the ring. He shook his head. "No, that's yours. You don't understand, Hermione. She didn't have a date and I thought you hadn't answered any of Ginny's owls, so we decided to come together. I love you," he stammered with a frantic look on his face.

Hermione placed the ring on the table. "You don't know what love is." With that, she turned to Angie. "Let's go."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Angie responded with a grin. "Enjoy the rest of your evening," she said gleefully as she walked away. Ginny and Harry were seated at the table and didn't say anything. They had looks of astonishment on their faces, still trying to fathom what just occurred.

When they were out of earshot, she turned to Hermione. "Are you okay? Oh man, that was epic, but how are you feeling? Do you want to go home? I can imagine this was quite a shock."

Hermione took a deep breath. "You cannot even begin to imagine how good that felt! I feel so liberated. I actually feel sorry for that other witch or whoever else gets stuck with him. I really should send Ginny a thank-you card because in a sense she made this happen," she said and giggled.

"That's a relief! What do you want to do now?" Angie asked.

"Are you kidding? Let's go to the club and ring in the New Year!" Hermione exclaimed as they walked out.

"Atta girl! Let's blow this taco stand," Angie said ecstatically. She laughed when Hermione gave her a questioning look. "Never mind, just a silly expression I liked to use back home."

The young women left and grabbed a taxi to a muggle nightclub that had opened a few months ago. When they arrived, they could hear the pulsing rhythm of the techno music coming from the club and there was quite a crowd. Angie looked at Hermione, giving her a huge grin as they entered the club. This was definitely a more happening place than the Ministry's ball.

**Draco**

Draco Malfoy sighed as he sat on the edge of his bed in his apartment in Diagon Alley and pulled on a pair of boots. When he was done, he walked over to the en suite bathroom. He looked over his reflection in the mirror over the lavatory and sighed again. He really didn't feel like going out this evening, but his good friend Blaise Zabini, had insisted because it was New Year's Eve.

"Come on, Draco. You can't stay cooped up here," Blaise had told him when they had spoken a few days before. He hadn't seen his friend in a few months because Blaise had been living in Italy with his mother, but now that he was back in London, he was constantly after Draco to get out more.

"I really don't want to go out and have everyone stare at me. I'm a fucking social pariah, Blaise. I don't know why you still talk to me, everyone else has cast me aside," Draco replied sharply.

"Look, I know that the trial for you and your parents was rough, but you were cleared! Hell, Harry Potter testified on your behalf and so did Hermione Granger. I think that you need to put yourself out there and hold your head up high. Fuck everyone else. For what it's worth, I'm your friend and I'll always be there," Blaise said in a sincere tone.

"Thanks Blaise. I know you've always been a good friend. Can't say the same for the rest," Draco said with a rueful smile.

"One of my mother's friends told me about this muggle club in London that just opened. They're having this huge New Year's Eve bash. How about we go there?" Blaise asked.

"A muggle club? I don't know, Blaise," Draco replied with a sour look.

"I know what you're thinking, but look at it this way. No one knows you, you could just blend in and have a good time. I have to tell you, there's quite a few of those muggle birds that are quite fetching," Blaise said and waggled his eyebrows.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll go."

"Brilliant! I'm telling you, you won't regret this," Blaise said and grinned.

Draco thought about making up something, like he had a sudden bout of Wizard's Flu or some other illness, but decided against it. He told Blaise that he would go, so he needed to suck it up. How bad could a muggle club be?

After pulling on a casual black leather jacket over his green button-down shirt and jeans, he walked out of his apartment. As he made his way to the floo network, some of the other tenants gave him weird looks because of his muggle attire, but Draco ignored them. Blaise was right; fuck everyone else.

Draco flooed over to Blaise's apartment and knocked. When the door opened, Blaise greeted him with a glass of champagne. Draco took the glass and raised his eyebrows.

"Starting the evening off already?" he asked as he took a sip. He grimaced as he swallowed the bubbly liquid and it tickled his throat. It wasn't unpleasant, but it wasn't quite like anything he had drank before. "What is this concoction?"

"A muggle spirit called Cristal champagne! It comes in this bottle," Blaise said and showed it to Draco. "This is what the muggles will be drinking when they ring in the New Year. I never tasted it, so I thought we should have an idea of what we'll be drinking."

"Interesting. Well, are you ready?" Draco asked in a bored manner.

"Yeah, mate. I was born ready. Come on, liven up! It won't be that bad," Blaise chuckled as he Accio'd an overcoat from a closet in his bedroom. "You might actually have fun."

Draco fought not to roll his eyes as he followed his friend out of the door. When they reached the lobby of Blaise's building, they stepped outside. Blaise hailed a cab and one stopped for the young men. They got in and he gave directions to the club to the driver.

Draco was impressed by this since he did not interact all that much with the muggle world. Blaise seemed really comfortable. After the war ended, he and Draco were invited to finish their education at Hogwarts, but they opted out.

While Blaise was in Italy with his mother, he worked with an Italian wizard who ran a very profitable advertising business. This businessman had satellite offices around the world, so when Blaise returned to London, he began to work as a field representative in the London branch. He enjoyed his job and realized he had a knack for sales, especially if the client was female.

Despite Draco's family's involvement with Voldemort, the Malfoy's still maintained their enormous fortune. Draco didn't have to work, but one of the consequences of having charges dropped against him involved working with a potion master at his shop. This was comparable to what community service would be in the muggle world. At first, Draco resented having to work in the shop; he felt that this was beneath him. However, he soon discovered that he was quite adept at making potions and before he knew it, he actually looked forward to going to work. The gentleman who owned the shop was teaching Draco everything he knew. He was going to be retiring in a few years and had no family to run the business after he was gone. Draco was seriously considering taking it over. His parents wouldn't be too thrilled, but he really didn't care. This was his life.

**Hermione**

As soon as they entered the club, the two young women hit the dance floor. At first, Hermione was a bit shocked at how loud the music was, and the massive amount of people in the club, but she soon got over it. It was so liberating to cut loose on the dance floor with Angie! It didn't take long for guys to start asking them to dance, so they had gone through about six songs with no break. After that, Angie motioned towards the bar. She was parched and so was Hermione. They made their way through the crowd, and were able to squeeze in and place an order for two waters. A young man offered to buy their drinks, but they politely declined. After quenching their thirst, they went back to the dance floor.

As they danced, Hermione had no idea that they were being watched by Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini.

**Draco**

The ride to the club didn't take long, so before they could finish their conversation about quidditch, the taxi had stopped. Draco stifled a sigh as Blaise grinned at him. Blaise paid the driver and they stepped out. There was a line waiting to get in, but Blaise showed a card to the doorman, and they were able to bypass the line. As they entered the club, Draco was already regretting his decision to go out as he took in all of the muggles and the noise they called music. It was going to be a long night.

They finally made it inside and Draco was surprised at the amount of people that were there and the huge dance floor that was packed with bodies. Blaise motioned to him with his hand and shouted over the music.

"Follow me. My boss gave me VIP passes. The VIP section is upstairs. We won't have to deal with this crowd!"

Draco nodded as he followed his friend. "Sounds good to me," he shouted back. As they made their way up a narrow staircase, he noticed that music seemed to be muted. There was probably some type of muggle soundproofing.

There was a large, burly man with a shaved head and a fitted suit that emphasized how massive he was. He put up a hand to Blaise and Draco.

"Passes?" he asked in a bored manner.

Blaise nodded, pulled out two business card, and handed them to the man. He looked them over and returned them to Blaise. He stepped aside and jerked his head towards a set of ornate glass doors.

They walked in and were amazed at the quiet and relaxed atmosphere of the VIP lounge. They were greeted by a beautiful muggle woman, who was dressed in a short, skintight dress. She led them to a table that was set against a glass wall that overlooked the dance floor. When they were seated, she took their drink orders.

"Wow, this is really something Blaise. I wasn't too sure of how this evening was going to go when we first arrived, but this is really stellar!" Draco said as he looked around.

"I thought you'd like this. My boss told me that this glass wall is a two-way mirror. We can see the dance floor, but they can't see us," Blaise replied.

"Well, that's quite something," Draco said as he peered onto the dance floor, noting that there were some quite beautiful women. As he looked, his eyes caught a brunette in a short black dress. She was dancing next to another girl, and it appeared that they were with two annoying looking gits. He watched as she tossed her head back and laughed at something her friend whispered to her. It was then that it hit him; this girl looked a lot like Hermione Granger. But, there was no way she would be in a place like this! Not Granger, Miss Goody Two-Shoes. A tinge of guilt overcame him as he thought about the trial and how Granger and Potter had spoken up for him. He never had a chance to thank them. He was so overcome with emotion when he found out that he wouldn't be sentenced to Azkaban, that when he finally regained his composure, he looked for them, but they had already left. He shook his head and chuckled to himself.

The waitress brought their drinks. Blaise sipped his and looked at Draco.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"There's a girl on the dance floor who looks like Hermione Granger, but there's no way Granger would be in a place like this," Draco replied.

"Where?" Blaise asked. Draco pointed her out and Blaise raised his eyebrows. "She does have some resemblance to Granger, but I agree that it would be odd for her to here. Let's go down and see if it is her," he said with a devilish glint in his eyes.

"I don't feel like going back into that crowd again. I like it up here," Draco groaned.

"Come on, it'll be fun. What if it is Granger? She might be leading this double life," Blaise joked.

"I doubt it. She's probably with Weaselbee at that Ministry ball. There's always some boring story about them in _The Daily Prophet_. I'd be very shocked if it is her," Draco scoffed.

"Let's check it out and then we'll be able to come back here. It'll only take a few minutes," Blaise replied.

"Fine," Draco huffed.

They both stood at the same time and left the VIP lounge. When they reached the dance floor, it took a little bit of time to locate the girl on the dance floor, but Draco finally spotted her. He pointed her out to Blaise and they maneuvered through the crowd so they could get a closer look. As they got closer to the girl, Blaise shouted in Draco's ear.

"Man, if that's Granger, she's sure grown up! I don't remember those curves at Hogwarts," he said.

They were only a few feet away when Draco realized it was indeed Granger. Her wild curls were tamed and she was wearing more makeup than usual, and that dress - he never imagined she'd wear something like that. The only clothes he'd ever seen her in were loose school robes and muggle clothing. His eyebrows raised as he took in her slim, yet curvy figure in the short, tight dress. His eyes drank in her shapely legs that led to her quite adorable little rump that was moving with the beat of the music. Her eyes were closed and her lips moved. For a moment, he was mesmerized by this, but Draco soon shook himself out of this reverie when he saw that the girl with Granger locked eyes with him.

Blaise was looking around appreciatively at all of the lovely ladies on the dance floor when Draco grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the bar. He didn't want Granger to see him, but he wondered if it was too late. Maybe he and Blaise could get lost in the crowd.

**Hermione**

Hermione's eyes were closed as she moved to the song _Believe_ by Cher and sang along with the lyrics. She was a little startled when Angie shouted in her ear.

"You should have seen the hottie checking us out!" she said.

Shrugging, Hermione continued to dance. They had danced with many guys that evening and Angie had stated that just about every one of them were "hotties," as she liked to put it.

"I know, I've said this about almost every dude in here, but this guy! You really need to get a look at him. Come on, I saw him and his friend go towards the bar," Angie said and she took Hermione's arm to lead them off of the dance floor.

"Do we have to? I really like this song," Hermione whined over the music.

"Come on! Besides, I'm thirsty. I bet you are too," Angie replied and grinned.

They made their way through the crowd and got to the bar. After placing their drink order, Angie nudged Hermione and motioned with her head towards the other end of the bar.

"There they are! You can't miss that one dude's hair. I wonder if his hair is bleached or if that's natural," she speculated as she looked towards Blaise and Draco.

Hermione was curious about hair comment, so she looked too. Smiling, she turned to where Angie was looking. The smile faded when she realized it was Draco Malfoy. She noticed that he gave her a small nod when their eyes met. Just when she thought that this was going to be a fun night, Malfoy had to show up.

It wasn't as if she hated him; after all she and Harry had spoken in his defense when he was put on trial, but Hermione just assumed she'd never see him again. He didn't even thank them after the trial. She chalked it up as him still being an arrogant bastard with a sense of entitlement even though he and his parents' lives were on the line after the Wizarding war.

"Don't look now, but they're coming our way," Angie giggled.

"I'll try to restrain myself," Hermione muttered and inwardly groaned.

Once Draco grabbed Blaise's arm and tried to pull him to the bar, Blaise spotted Angie and Hermione.

"Oh no, you don't! I won't be able to rest until I find out if that bird is Hermione Granger or not," Blaise laughed. "Come on, let's go say hello."

"This is so fucked up! What the hell am I supposed to say?" Draco snarled over the music.

"I'm sure you'll think of something, you can be charming when you want," Blaise replied and tried not to laugh again when he saw the look of annoyance on Draco's face. "We'll just say hello and if the girls ignore us or tell us to fuck off, we'll go back to the VIP lounge. Sound good?"

Draco sighed. "Fair enough. Let's get this over it."

As they got closer to the two young women, Draco was pretty certain that this was indeed Hermione Granger, but he didn't recognize the other girl. Although he put off this air that he didn't care about gossip, a part of him wondered what Granger was doing here without Weaselbee or Potter. The other girl gave him and Blaise a huge grin as they approached them.

"Good evening. We couldn't help noticing that you were the loveliest ladies on the dance floor," Blaise said smoothly. It was a cheesy line but he was able to pull it off with his charm and good looks.

"Why thank you! I'm Angie and this is my friend─," Angie started to reply, but then Blaise interrupted.

"Hermione Granger. I thought I recognized you but I must say I'm a bit shocked to see you in a place like this."

Angie looked puzzled. "Wait. You know each other?" This evening was getting better and better. She wondered how Hermione knew these two hot guys.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. Angie, this is Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy. They attended Hogwarts but were in Slytherin." She wanted to add that they were complete prats but decided it was better to leave it alone. She also ignored Blaise's comment about her being at a muggle club. As far as Hermione was concerned, it really was none of his business. It was best just to get this uncomfortable encounter over with.

Blaise suppressed a smile as he took in that Hermione was none too pleased about meeting him and Draco. Her friend was quite fetching though, so he turned on the charisma that worked on most women. "I have passes to the VIP lounge upstairs. Why don't you join us for a drink?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes and was starting to shake her head, but Angie grabbed her arm.

"I'd love to see the VIP lounge. How about it, Hermione?" she asked excitedly.

With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Hermione saw how taken Angie was with Blaise, so she gave a small, tight smile and told Blaise, "Lead the way." Blaise grinned and grabbed Angie's hand.

"Follow me," he said over his shoulder to Draco and Hermione.

Draco finally spoke. "Look, this was all Blaise's idea. I didn't want to intrude on your evening."

Hermione shrugged. "Whatever. Let's just get this over with," she replied in a bored tone which Draco was able to catch over the loud music. This evening was going so well but now this.

They made their way to the VIP lounge and Hermione had to admit to herself that it was quite impressive. Blaise led them to a table and pulled out Angie's chair. Draco did the same for Hermione. She have him a funny look but sat down. She wondered what had happened to the arrogant prick she knew in Hogwarts.

Surprisingly as the evening progressed, Hermione found herself laughing and enjoying Blaise's company. She had always found him very haughty at Hogwarts. He wasn't as condescending or nasty as Draco, but he came close.

She noticed that Draco only smiled at some of the things that Blaise said and responded to a few of them. After about twenty minutes, Blaise asked Angie to dance. As Blaise led Angie to the small dance floor in the lounge, Hermione heard Draco take a deep breath and release it as he turned towards her. She wasn't sure how she was going to respond if he asked her to dance. That would truly be the icing on the cake of one of the most bizarre evenings of her life.

"I know this may not be the right place or time, but I really want to let you know that I appreciated what you and Potter did for me and my family. I looked for you and him after the trial, but you'd already gone," he said quietly.

Hermione turned towards him and was so relieved that he hadn't asked her to dance that it took her a few moments to process what Draco said. Once she recovered, she nodded. "It was the right thing to do. I know we'll never be friends, but Harry nor I could see you going to Azkaban. Thanks, I'm glad you appreciated us testifying in your defense."

"I had thought of sending a note, but I wanted to thank you and Potter in person. Better late than never I suppose. You must think I'm still the same prat I was in Hogwarts," he replied.

Shaking with laughter, she said, "It's funny you should mention that because when I saw you I was thinking that you were an arrogant bastard with a sense of entitlement because you had never thanked us!"

Draco chuckled. "I deserve that. I was such a prick when we were at Hogwarts. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for anything I said or did to hurt you and your friends. I know this is probably damn presumptuous of me, but would it be the worst thing in the world if you and I would become acquaintances or Merlin forbid─ friends," he said jokingly.

"You know what, this has been a weird evening, so no I don't think it would be the worst thing in the world if we became friends," Hermione laughed.

Draco held out his hand. "Shake on it?

Smiling, Hermione placed her hand in his and shook it lightly. She couldn't help noticing how warm his hand felt in hers and feeling a slight twinge when they made contact.

When she shook his hand, Draco felt something stir within him. He wondered if she felt it too, but quickly dismissed that thought. Who would've ever imagined that he was actually enjoying this evening and with Hermione Granger of all people.

From that point on, they talked about Draco's work with the potion master and Hermione told him about her plans after Hogwarts. There was no mention of Ron, although Draco still wondered why Hermione wasn't at the Ministry's ball.

When the New Year rolled in, they were served champagne as balloons and confetti fell around them. Angie grabbed Hermione and hugged her tightly.

"This has been such a fantastic evening! Are you enjoying it as much as I am?" Angie asked happily.

Before Hermione could reply, Blaise grabbed Angie. "My turn! Happy New Year's my new fun American friend!" he shouted as he hugged her and kissed her cheek.

Hermione watched them and smiled. She turned when she felt Draco lightly touch her elbow.

"Happy New Year Hermione," he said softly as he took in how happy she looked. There were bits of confetti in her hair and it hit Draco that Hermione Granger had blossomed into a beautiful woman.

"Happy New Year Draco," she responded and smiled at him.

At that moment, Draco realized that he was glad that Blaise had talked him into going out. This had turned out to be an amazing evening and it was because of Hermione. He wondered if he was going to see her again after this evening.

Angie and Hermione left the club at about 2 a.m. and went back to Angie's house. As they prepared for bed, Angie gushed about Hermione's break-up with Ron and Blaise. This had definitely been quite an evening for the young women. They talked some more about if Blaise would actually contact Angie and what it was going to be like once they returned to Hogwarts. Hermione figured that this was something she was going to have to deal with because there were going to be so many rumors floating around the school as to what happened between her and Ron. She could handle it. As they drifted off to sleep, her thoughts drifted over to Draco Malfoy. A part of her wondered if she would see him again, but she quickly dismissed that thought as sleep took over.

**I know, I know. It has been some time since I've posted an update. Enjoy!**

**As always, thank you for the reviews and adding this story to your favorites. **


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